agent9902

What's the best district to stay in while visiting Paris? Part of me really wants ot wake up each day to the Eiffel tower and have my croissant for breakfast, but my mother wants to be "centrally" located. I figured from one end of hte city to the other can't be that far away, but she insists. What do you all suggest? 7, 1, 2?? Left bank, right bank...we're so confused!!! What have you found to be the best in terms of sightseeing and nightlife?? Thanks!

bob_brown

I don't think you can be "centrally located" in Paris. The major sights and sites are strung out over a long distance. If you are close to one, then you are a long distance from another.

What type of situation to you want to be near? I prefer to be close to bus and Metro lines so I can get about the city with a minimum of difficulty. If you are in any of the single digit Arrondiseements, you are central.

I personally found a good hotel just over the line in the 14th. It is within a few hundred yards of Montparnasse which vibrates. Or a short walk up Rue de Rennes or ano of several other streets and I am in the midst of the Latin Quarter.

I think your first chore is to locate a hotel you think meets your specificiations that is close to transportation.

Being centrally located in Paris is like trying to be centrally located in New York City. Just where is central? The city is everywhere up and down the island. For example I stay close to Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Museum, but it is a heck of a long way from Times Square or the lower east side or some similar place.

Paris is the same way. If you want to be close to the Eifel Tower, then Notre Dame is not exactly next door; neither is the Opera Bastille or Places de Voges or Sacre Coeur.

Also, the 15th is a nice residential district. But it is not close to Place de la Concorde. But it is very central to a nice place to be for living.

MaureenB

I'm with you re: the Eiffel tower. We recently booked a hotel that has balconies and views of the tower. It sounds spectacular at night, all lit up, twinkling on the hour. It's the Hotel la Bourdonnais. It is quite close to Les Invalides, so there are two major attractions close to the hotel. I've heard that the 7th is supposed to be more upscale residential, with nice shops and cafes, yet relatively quiet at night (not a 'scene'), which is what we want. Also Rue Cler is close to this hotel. If that's your cup of tea, try searching tripadvisor.com for Hotel la Bourdonnais and read its good reviews. We found the best price through Expedia.

ucsun

Bob, got it perfect. the metro makes the whole city easy access.

my preference had always been the 9th/opera. next time in paris though i would stay in the 6th to be near the rue de bucci...great open air market, restaurants, cafes, and a great/brilliant gelato shop (as good as in rome).

JeanneB

<i>my mother wants to be &quot;centrally&quot; located.</i>

I can recommend what I consider a very centrally located hotel. Hotel de Notre Dame is right at the Seine across from the cathedral. Walk out the front door and Ile St. Louis and Ile de la Cite are just a few steps away. It's a very nice hotel. Lots of cafes, restaurants, shops all around.

Do a search on &quot;hotel de Notre Dame&quot; and you'll find several favorable reviews. TripAdvisor.com also has lots of reviews.

http://www.hotel-paris-notredame.com/index.html

Double room is about 155 euro.

LarryJ

No matter what arr. you choose for your hotel or apartment it is very fast and easy to get anywhere you want to go in Paris by using the metro. Get a Carte Orange pass for just 15.40 euros a week.

I love to hang out at lots of neighborhood throughout Paris; Champs Elyees, Latin Quarter, the Marais, Montmartre, Montparness, St. Germain etc. But when I go home it is always to the 7th. I love the action throughout the city but I love to base myself in the elegant, peaceful and serene 7th near Invalides.

Your tastes may differ.

Larry J

Christina

Unless your mother knows Paris well, I suspect she just means she doesn't want to be on the far edges of the city or the suburbs (as some tour groups do). Any of the central arrondisements (districts) will be central enough for anything--I'd say that would be 1-8 (and really the closer-in parts of some others). What you said was pretty correct, so if she is arguing with you, she must think she knows better, understands the districts of the city, and knows exactly where she wants to be. Where did she say she wanted to be when she was disagreeing with you? The entire city is only 4-5 miles in each direction, and the central arrondisements are all roughly one mile to the edges from the Seine. 1 and 4 probably less because they are smaller. I'd forget 2-3, not that they are so far out, but they are more business areas and aren't as many hotels you'd probably like, anyway.

irish

Rent the &quot;rue Borommee&quot; apartment listed on www.beau-paris.com
Phillipe speaks English and is a great guy. 2 bdrms in 15th arrondissement,close to metro and bus. Clean, well-equipped apt. We stayed there for a week last Sept-you can't do better-600 euros for a week!!!

euroenvy

If you are going to visit and like to pass by Notre Dame (you might run into a concert) and you like to watch the boats go by ,etc and enjoy the fantastic Hotel De Ville( near metro Stop) and want to visit St Chapelle and go to the Louvre and want a small chic quiet neighborhood try the Marais especially if you plan on eating near the Bastille stop.

If you like bustle, in the 6th you would be close to the RER (faster more direct) that goes to Versailles or the bus to Rue Cler and the Tower and there are lots of great places to eat.

If you are just into shopping mostly( and you have a ton of money) you need to be up towards the north and east of the Louvre (Pretemps) and opera area (the 1st or 2nd). But there are great shops everywhere...
Get a book with a metro map and have your days planned and see how you are going to get from A to B and you will soon find where you need to stay.

The seventh is very popular and upscale but being so close to the tower was not all that important to me as you can see it day or night as you travel around the city. Paris is way more than the tower(it is beautiful) IMO... Not evey hotel in that area has a view of the tower obviously...
Finding a hotel in budget that is charming is important to the experience so you can search by that criteria and the areas most convienient are the 1,2,4,6,and 7...
If you mother is over 50 she needs to be central and near good quick transportation..you can waste a lot of time transfering underground..its oK if its rainig but strolling along the river in good weather if fantastic..Moms usually always right ...

pumpkin

I was on the hotel thread earlier today and now I can't find where someone mentioned a web site wherein you typed in an address and you could see what it was like.

Anyone know?
Thanks, Jean

Ali

Hello Pumpkin:

I use: http://wfd.pagesjaunes.fr/pj.cgi?lang=en

From what I can tell, it's like a all-inclusive yellow pages. If you type the address in, you will get pictures. You can even see pictures of the rest of the street.

Hope this helps!

Dave_in_Paris

&quot;Sightseeing&quot; and &quot;nightlife&quot; are mutally exclusive if you are under age 40. Better to stay where you mother wants and commute to the latter.